I'm going to share a few scenarios and you tell me whether or not you can relate.

Scenario 1: You're having an "ugly" day. You're not feeling hot, sexy or attractive - AT ALL. But you are feeling bloated, heavy and blimp-ish. Your significant other doesn't know this. In fact, he/she sees you like they always do - as beautiful. They go to wrap their arms around you, giving you a big squeeze and you...push them away. You quickly remove their hands from your waist or move their arms from across your belly and shrug it off. Your significant other feels confused and slightly offended, but this isn't about them. This is about you. In this scenario, you feel fat and therefore, in some way unworthy of affection; not beautiful. Your first thought might be, my fat is preventing me from being loved, being worthy, being beautiful.

The real answer: YOU, your perception, your self worth is keeping you from all of those things.

Scenario 2: You are wearing a really cute outfit. You've worn it before, but today, today it feels different. It feels like your hips are popping out of the top of your pants, as if things shrunk a little in the wash...not to mention you caught a glimpse of your back fat (damn this bra, I swore it fit perfectly last week) in the mirror and you did not like what you saw. Suddenly, your mood dampens. Your day darkens and every encounter you have - those inside your head (especially those you have inside your head) and those with other actual human beings is affected by this "I'm fat, gross and disgusting" attitude. Maybe you're short with your spouse, you snap at your children or you're the grinch to the cashier at the supermarket. The bottom line is you're unhappy, all because of a pair of pants. You think, my fat is preventing me from being happy, from feeling good, from truly living.

The real answer: YOU, your perception, your self worth is keeping you from all of those things.

Scenario 3: You're feeling GREAT about yourself. Seriously, maybe you just had a fantastic workout or you ate a delicious salad, either way you are ROCKING the day. Then, maybe hours, minutes or even seconds later you see someone else walk by - someone slim, sexy and (seemingly) super confident. And suddenly, you are no longer any of those things. You are inferior, insecure and in need of a new diet/exercise plan/article of clothing ASAP to make you feel better. Because, comparison. You think, if only I could look like her, dress like her, be as thin as her...THEN I would be fulfilled, my life would be complete and I would be enough.

The real answer: YOU, your perception, your self worth is keeping you from all of those things.

Can you relate to any of these scenarios? I sure can.

And I say, it's time for us to STOP thinking of ourselves this way. STOP talking about ourselves like we're projects that need fixing. STOP worshipping the bodies of other women and START worshiping our own bodies. START giving ourselves permission to take a break and bask in grace. And it's time to START completely detaching our worth and character as a person from the size and shape of our bodies.

How? I'm willing to figure it out together. Starting in January of 2017, myself and some other amazing ladies will be embarking on a Be Well journey - a 10 week body-positive coaching course for women. To learn what it means to affirm that our body fat and our self worth are not in any way connected. To recognise that we do not have to slave endlessly for leanness in an effort to be happier, accepted or more at home in our own skin. To learn that we are already worthy of those things RIGHT NOW.

Because you deserve to be free in your body and thrilled with the life you live. You deserve to give yourself the permission to be powerful, to love your body and to forever separate your worth from your physique. Let me show you how.